Slipping Beauty
by The Kitkat of Destiny
Summary: In the kingdom of Lutz, nothing is more important than one's gracefulness, however when a King turns away a fairy on account of one little blunder, she vows vengeance and takes it out on his daughter in the form of a curse.


_Once upon a time, there was a land called Lutz. Called so because the ice skater who developed the triple Lutz was from there. The people of Lutz were known for their peerless grace, and so it was no surprise when King George named his daughter Grace. All the kingdom rejoiced for little Grace and the throne room was filled with old friends and new to celebrate the Princesses birth. However there was someone else there as well whose intentions were far darker._

All of the royal court cooed over the baby, who cheerfully gurgled. The herald watched from his post swaying to music. The sound of a young girl impatiently clearing her throat brought him back to reality. The herald turned to the three small girls. One wore a pretty pink dress made of tulip petals, she had beautiful flowing blonde hair that had daisies braided all through it. The second was a mousey little thing and his eyes landed drifted straight over her onto the third who was hooded in oak leaves. They all had wings sprouting from their backs.

"Aah yes, sorry to keep you waiting," he said. He cleared his throat before announcing loudly, "On behalf of all faeries, the Flower Fairy, the Forest Fairy, and the Flaky fairy have come to bless Crown Princess Grace."

The three fairies gracefully entered the room. The beautiful flower fairy and her dear younger sister Flaky danced across the room, they stopped in front of the crib to bestow their gifts. The king giggled with glee, fairy gifts were extra lucky and few births were blessed with such a thing, usually a seventh son, of a seventh son. King George was the only son of a fifth son, which was hardly an accomplishment, and had never seen a fairy give a gift.

"Princess Grace may you be gentle and tender," began the flower fairy tapping her wand on Grace's little nose. The Flaky fairy walked to the king.

"And for you a new baby food blender," she said. King George accepted the gift a bit put out. That had not exactly been what he had expected but the forest fairy hadn't given her gift yet, perhaps there would be something more exciting.

The cloaked forest fairy walked forward haltingly, she stretched out her hand over the crib. There was a moment of silence and then she began in the same sing song voice as her peers.

"_You will marry a prince who is heroic and sweet_

_But only if he is strong enough to get past your feet_

_You shall stumble each day heed to my word_

_With each fall you'll become more of a nerd_

_Before seventeen you shall fall one last time_

_To remain in a coma an ornament of mine_

_You shall trip over your shoestrings no longer to speak_

_Lest a prince can be found who loves a geek._"

The fairy left off in a cackle. King George stood up outraged.

"You are not the forest fairy, you're Mudflap!" He yelled as he pointed an accusing finger. Mudflap had always been a strange fairy. Fairies typically had two jobs; being a fairy godmother, or taking care of the seasons. Mudflap however had auditioned for the Olympic skating team, she had fallen in the middle of her routine, only the most graceful were accepted and Mudflap was turned away. After the fall she left vowing revenge on the kingdom of Lutz. "Take back your curse, or die," said the King.

Mudflap laughed again. "You think to take me by force, your majesty?" she asked in a mocking tone. The King drew a sword. Mudflap grabbed the nearest innocen, the flaky fairy. Holding her wand to her heads. "I wouldn't try anything if I were you." She Threw down her wand which exploded. When the smoke cleared Mudflap and the flaky fairy were gone.

All the people of the kingdom were greatly troubled by the curse and murmurs spread across the throne room, what would happen to Lutz with a graceless Princess Grace?

"Be quiet!" called a voice. Everybody turned to look at the newcomer. A small boy, stood in the doorway. "I mean, the king's kind or sort of trying to think. The herald loomed over him.

"And who are you?" he asked, peering down his long nose.

"My name is Dude, son of Sir Duke of the western province," he mumbled. The king looked at him, then turned his attention to the people.

"We need a prince, somebody who will save my daughter. Send out a decree, any prince who will marry my daughter, and break the terrible curse, will receive half of my kingdom in land, and three thousand ren!"

All the court was in a tizzy to carry out the King's orders, but one solemn figure stood deathly still and alone in the crowd. Dude walked up to the poor fairy girl, with a sympathetic look.

"Is there anything I can do for you Lady?" he asked.

"King George is a fool," said the Flower Fairy. The young boy was taken aback by her bluntness.

"Why Lady! You shouldn't speak like that! One might overhear and take it as treason!" cried Dude, trying hard to keep his voice at a low volume.

"The Fairies make no quarrel with your land, but do not mistake us for being among it's citizens," she said. "And do not forget that while Princess Grace was given more of a warning, a fighting chance, my younger sister was taken. That will not stand, and weather the other fairies assist me in finding her or not, I will not stand for it," the Flower Fairy made little attempt to keep her voice low, and with every passing word her voice grew louder and louder. Though the room was still in such a state of confusion no one seemed to hear.

Dude stood still thinking over what she had said. "So what are you going to do Lady?" he asked.

The Flower Fairy turned to look at him, with a smile. "Well besides my own search to find her, I think I'll hire you to help out," she said.

"What?!"

"Few princes are going to be willing to marry a clumsy Princess Grace, but I may be able to find a few loopholes in that curse, I want you to free the princess from her curse," she said.

"Why me? And for that matter why exactly should I do it?" asked Dude.

"Well besides the fact that she is your princess, because I can give you your own kingdom if you do. Either way I like you, and a fairies favor isn't something to discard casually," she said.

"Fine then, where do I go first?"


End file.
